Computing device



y 5, 1953 c. E. POND 2,637,498

COMPUTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 15, 1951 ll w //////////III III I! u g 3 40 30 f 20 \0 z IN V EN TOR.

Cif/L P0/v0 Z aw ATTOFIWE'K Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMPUTING DEVICE Cecil E. Pond, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Ecco, Inc., South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Indiana 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a computing device and more particularly to a manually operable device which will register the sum of two or more numbers added together.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an adding device which is conveniently portable, simple in construction and operation, and reliable in operation. In the accomplishment of this object, it is contemplated to use a minimum number of parts thus conducing to an economical construction.

It is another object to provide a manually operable adding device which will accurately indicate the sum of any two added numbers, and which may be re-set to zero for new addition problems by means of a simple manipulation.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on a diameter of the illustration of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the illustrated embodiment of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmental section taken substantially on section line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the ratchet and paw] arrangement and is taken on section line 6-5 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a fragmental section taken substantially on section line 'l-1 of Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 but is taken on section line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, a frusto-conically shaped, nonrotatable base I 0 is formed to provide a flat supporting portion having upper and lower sides l2 and 14 respectively. A cover or disc is is rotatably mounted on said base by means of a spindle H! which is held against vertical displacement by means of a hair-pin type retainer 20, said spindle being rotatable relative to both the base I0 and the cover it. A pointer 22 is secured to the upper end of spindle l8 and retains the spindle against downward displacement. As clearly shown in the drawings, this pointer is disposed contiguous with the top surface of cover I6 and extends radially outward to terminate in the vicinity of a circumferentially arranged scale 24 marked in equally spaced segments of ten units each. This scale, as viewed in Figure l, is numbered from zero to one hundred in a clockwise direction.

A stop 23 projects radially outwardly from the periphery of cover It in the path of an abutment 28 fixed to the periphery of base [0. It should be noted that this abutment is capable of being positioned radially opposite the scale marking zero.

Cut into the adjacent surfaces of cover is and base II are a series of circumferentially arranged ratchet teeth 30 and 32, respectively, these teeth, as illustrated, having length dimensions which radiate from the axis of spindle l8.

A pair of diametrically opposed pawls 34 and 35 are mounted for rotation with spindle l8, and extend into cooperative engagement with ratchet teeth 30 and 32, respectively. As illustrated, these pawls 34 and 36 are carried on the outer extremities of resilient supports or arms 38 and 40, respectively, and, as viewed in Figure 3, are arranged one on top of the other, with arm 38 lying adjacent cover Hi. These two arms may, of course, be made in one piece, and in any event may be characterized as a unitary rotor.

Pawl 34 is so formed that it will lock with its teeth 30 when cover It is rotated clockwise to carry the spindle i8 and pointer 22 in exact synchronism therewith. With counterclockwise rotation of cover l6, pawl 34 will ride over the teeth 30 allowing relative rotation between pointer 22 and cover It.

Pawl 36 is so formed that it will lock with its teeth 32 when cover I 6 is turned counterclockwise, the frictional engagement of pawl 34 with cover teeth 30 tending to rotate both pawls thereby forcing pawl 36 into intimate locking engagement with base teeth 32. When cover I6 is rotated clockwise, pawl 36 will ratchet over its teeth 32 allowing relative movement therebetween.

It should be recognized at this point that a definite relationship between the spaced markings of scale 24 and the pitch of the ratchet teeth is desired, said pitch being exactly equal to the distance between the unit markings on the scale.

Preferably, arms 38 and 40 are formed of resilient material which bias the respective pawls into positive engagement with the respective teeth. Of course any other means for insuring this engagement may be used without departing from the true scope of this invention, and further, it is conceivable that another indexing means (other than pawls and teeth such as coil spring biased plungers and recesses) may be used to insure incremental, positive (as distinguished from frictional) movements of spindle l8 and pointer 22 with respect to the cover it and base It, since the broad aspects of this invention teach the function of positive locking or holding of the pointer with respect to either the cover or base depending upon the direction of cover rotation.

Another scale i2 having spaced markings in exact juxtaposition with those of scale 24, is printed about the circumference of base It, with the zero marking lying directly beneath the radial median line of cover stop 26 when it is abutted against abutment 28 as illustrated. With the cover in this position, the tip of pointer 22 should coincide with the zero mark of the cover scale it.

In opera-tion, assuming that it is desired to add the two numbers and 5, the cover it is rotated clockwise until the point of stop 26 coins cides with base marking 10. The cover is then rotated counterclockwise into engagement with abutment 28. At this point it will be noticed that pointer 22 indicates 10 on the cover scale E l. Next, cover It is turned clockwise until stop 26 is opposite base marking 5. The cover is then turned counterclockwise until it stops against abutment 28. The pointer 22 now indicates the sum of 10 and 5, or 15. Any number, which when added to the given number does not exceed 100, may be added to the indicated sum by following through the foregoing cycle of cover movement. Thus, any two or more numbers the sum of which does not exceed 100 may be added together by the foregoing simple manipulation of the cover 16.

In card games, such as cribbage, hearts, etc., when it is desired to add but a few points at a time, the audible clicks of the pawls passing over the ratchet teeth may be utilized as an indication of the extent of movement of cover IS in lieu of an actual visual setting of the points to be added. Of course, other problems, such as subtraction, may be worked on this device by the use of techniques which are not considered necessary to be mentioned here.

With reference to the operation of the various parts described in the foregoing, clockwise turning of cover it will result in pawl 34 looking with teeth 3t and pawl t i riding over teeth 32. Pointer 22 will then turn in exact synchronism with the cover and in the preferred construction, pawl 36 will make an audible click as it drops from a tooth crest to a tooth valley, each click indicating movement of one unit on the scales.

Counterclockwise movement of cover IE will result in pawl 36 looking with its teeth 32, and pawl 3c riding over its teeth to also cause the audible clicking.

I claim as my invention:

1. A computing device comprising a frusto conically shaped base having upper and lower sides, a disc superposed on the upper side of said base and rotatable about a vertical spindle journalled in said base, a series of radially extending ratchet teeth formed in said upper side in concentric relation with said spindle, a second series of radially extending ratchet teeth formed in the side of said disc facing said upper side and arranged in concentric relation about said spindle, a resilient elongated support positioned between said base and said disc and mounted between its ends to rotate about said spindle, one end of said support carrying a pawl which cooperatively engages the ratchet teeth in said base to permit rotation of said support relative to said base in one direction only, the other end of said support carrying a pawl which cooperatively engages the ratchet teeth in said disc to permit relative rotation between said disc and said support in one direction only, both said base and said disc being rotatable relative to said support in the same direction, retaining means afilxed to said spindle for vertically positioning said spindle with respect to said base, a pointer carried by said spindle for rotation with said support and being superposed on the side of said disc opposite said base, an abutment provided on the periphery of said base and having a portion adjacent the periphery of said disc, and a stop carried by the periphery of said disc and arranged to engage said abutment whereby said disc and said base may rotate relative to each other a maximum 0 substantially only three hundred sixty (360) degrees in either direction.

2. A computing device comprising a base having upper and lower sides, a disc superposed on the upper side of said base and rotatable about a vertical spindle journalled in said base, a series of radially extending ratchet teeth formed in said upper side in concentric relation with said spindle, a second series of radially extending ratchet teeth formed in the side of said disc facing said upper side and arranged in concentric relation about said spindle, a resilient elongated support positioned between said base and said disc and mounted between its ends to rotate about said spindle, one end of said support carrying a pawl which cooperatively engages the ratchet teeth in said base to permit rotation of said support relative to said base in onedirection only, the other end of said support carrying a pawl which cooperatively engages the ratchet teeth in said disc to permit relative rotation between said disc and said support in one direction only, both said base and said disc being rotatable relative to said support in the same direction, a pointer carried by said spindle for rotation with said support and being superposed on the side of said disc opposite said base, an abutment provided on the periphery of said base and having a portion adjacent the periphery of said disc, and a stop carried by the periphery of said disc and arranged to engage said abutment whereby said disc and said base may rotate relative to each other a maximum of substantially only three hundred siXty (360) degrees in either direction.

3. A computing device comprising a base having at least one flat side, a disc supported for rotation on said base about an axis substantially normal to the flat sides of both said base and said disc, a series of radially extending teeth formed in said one flat side in concentric relation with said axis, a second series of radially ex tending ratchet teeth formed in the side of said disc facing said base and arranged in concentric relation about said axis, a longitudinal support positioned between the facing surfaces of said base and said disc and mounted between its ends for rotation about said axis, one end of said support carrying a pawl cooperatively engageable with the ratchet teeth in said base, the other end of said support carrying a pawl cooperatively engageable with the ratchet teeth in said disc, said engagements of said pawls with the respective teeth allowing relative rotation between said support and both said disc and said base in one direction only, a pointer rotatable about said axis and with said support and being arranged on the surface of said disc opposite base, an abutment provided on said base, and a stop carried by said disc for engagement with said abutment whereby said disc and said base may rotate relative to each other a maximum of substantially only three hundred sixty (360) degrees in either direction.

4. A computing device comprising a base, a disc supported for rotation on said base, a series of ratchet teeth provided on the facing surfaces of both said base and said disc and arranged in concentric relation about the axis of the aforementioned rotation, two pawls carried by a common support arranged for rotation about said axis, one pawl being engageable with the teeth on said base and the other pawl being engageable with the teeth on said disc, said engagements of said pawls with the respective teeth allowing relative rotation between said support and both said disc and said base in one direction only, a pointer rotatable about said axis and with said support and being arranged on the surface of said disc opposite said base, an abutment provided on said base, and a stop carried by said disc for engagement with said abutment whereby said disc and said base may rotate relative to each other a maximum of substantially only three hundred sixty (360) degrees in either direction.

5. A computing device comprising a nonrotatable member and a rotatable member, ratchet teeth provided on both said members and arranged in concentric relation about the axis of rotation of said members, two pawl elements relatively nonrotatable with respect to each other mounted for rotation about said axis, one element being engageable with the ratchet teeth of said nonrotatable member and the other element being engageable with the ratchet teeth of said rotatable member, the engagements of said elements and said teeth allowing relative rotation between said members and said elements in one direction only, a pointer rotatable with said elements, an abutment provided on said nomotatable member, and a stop carried by said rotatable member for engagement with said abutment whereby said rotatable member and said nonrotatable member may rotate relative to each other a maximum of substantially only three hundred sixty (360) degrees in either direction.

6. A computing device comprising a nonrotatable member, a rotor supported by said member and being rotatable relative thereto, a cover having a dial thereon rotatable about the axis of rotation of said rotor on said member, said cover being rotatable in either direction with respect to said member, ratchet teeth provided on the facing sides of said member and said cover and arranged about the aforementioned axis, two pawls carried by said rotor, one pawl being engageable with the teeth on said member and the other pawl being engageable with the teeth on said cover, said pawls cooperating with the respective teeth to cause said cover to rotate clockwise in unison with said rotor and to prevent relative rotation between said member and said rotor when said cover is rotated counterclockwise with respect to said member, a pointer rotatable with said rotor and cooperatively arranged on said dial, an abutment on said mem her, and a stop on said cover engageable with said member to permit a maximum of substantially only three hundred sixty (360) degrees relative rotation between said member and said cover in either direction.

7 A computing device comprising a nonrotataable member, a rotor supported by said member and being rotatable relative thereto, a cover having a dial thereon rotatable about the axis of rotation of said rotor on said member, said cover being rotatable in either direction with respect to said member, ratchet teeth provided on the facing sides of said member and said cover and arranged about the aforementioned axis, two pawls carried by said rotor, one pawl being engageable with the teeth on said member and the other pawl being engageable with the teeth on said cover, said pawls cooperating with the respective teeth to cause said cover to rotate clockwise in unison with said rotor and to prevent relative rotation between said member and said rotor when said cover is rotated counterclockwise with respect to said member, and a pointer rotatable with said rotor and cooperatively arranged on said dial.

8. A computing device comprising a nonrotatable member and a rotatable member, ratchet teeth provided on both said members and arranged in concentric relation about the axis of rotation of said members, two pawl elements relatively nonrotatable with respect to each other mounted for rotation about said axis, one element being engageable with the ratchet teeth of said nonrotatable member and the other element being engageable with the ratchet teeth of said rotatable member, the engagements of said elements and said teeth allowing relative rotation between said members and said elements in one direction only, and a pointer rotatable with said elements.

CECIL E. POND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 454,838 Blackshaw et al. June 30, 1891 614,454 Fish Nov. 22, 1898 

